


candlesticks, building bricks, something old and new (memories for you and me)

by lovelyflowersinherhair



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:54:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24800380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyflowersinherhair/pseuds/lovelyflowersinherhair
Summary: “But, I do,” she insisted. “You’re my dad. I’ve never had a daddy who had a birthday before. Or a daddy who I could celebrate father’s day with.”
Relationships: Heather Louise McCartney & Paul McCartney
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	candlesticks, building bricks, something old and new (memories for you and me)

“Da?” Heather whispered, as she crawled up onto the bed between her mum and dad, unhappy to see that they were both soundly asleep. “Daddy, are you up?” 

Heather didn’t think this was a very fair state of affairs. It was bad enough that she wasn’t allowed to keep the baby in Mummy’s tummy up all night. Now her parents were sleeping during the day? It was a special day, too. Mummy had told her that it was Daddy’s birthday.

Heather had never had a dad before, so she’d never gotten to celebrate her dad’s birthday before, and she wanted to, even though he’d insisted that they didn’t have to. Daddy was so silly, she thought to herself. He had said the same thing when it had been Father’s Day just a couple days before. 

Daddy let out a rather loud snore. Heather decided to let him sleep. She set her sights on Mummy’s tummy. 

“Hi little baby,” Heather whispered, her hands gravitating to the spot where the baby favoured. “It’s me, Heather.” She stretched out on the bed. “Are you awake? Mummy and Daddy aren’t.” 

Heather felt that was unfair. Didn’t Daddy know she wanted to play with him? To have special time with him on his birthday? It was okay that Mummy was still sleeping, because she was pregnant with her baby brother or sister, but she was sad that Daddy hadn’t been awake when she woke up. 

She felt a nudge from the baby in response. Intrigued, Heather pressed down where she’d felt the kick. 

“Hi baby,” she cooed. “Are you kicking for me?” She felt another kick. “Ooh! You are.” 

“Heather?” She heard her dad say, his voice thick with sleep. “What’re you doing?” 

“Playing with the baby,” she said, and she did her best to speak in a whisper. Mummy was still soundly asleep, after all. “She’s  _ kicking _ me.” 

“Don’t wake up your mummy,” he told her. “Why don’t you come here, and give me a hug?” 

Heather hesitated. She didn’t want to upset the baby, but it was Daddy’s birthday. She wanted to give him a hug. 

“Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll give you a hug.” 

She crawled onto his lap, clad in the t-shirt that she’d commandeered from him when they’d first arrived in Corfu. It fit her like a nightdress. Heather just liked it because it was her dad’s. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, pleased when he hugged her back. 

“There’s a lass,” he whispered, and he kissed her. “I’m sorry that I was sleeping, duck. I didn’t mean to be.” 

She wrinkled her nose. “It’s okay, Da. Happy birthday!” 

“Ah, you remembered it was me birthday?” He asked her. She nodded eagerly. “You didn’t have to do that.” 

“But, I do,” she insisted. “You’re my dad. I’ve never  _ had _ a daddy who had a birthday before. Or a daddy who I could celebrate father’s day with.” 

Daddy let out a sigh. “No, you haven’t, have you?” 

“I haven’t,” she said. “But, now, I have you. Mummy and I made you a cake.” 

He grinned at her. She grinned back. “Did ye? What kind of cake?” 

“Chocolate,” she said. “With buttercream frosting.” Heather had helped Mummy bake the cake the night before. “It’s in the fridge.” 

“I have an idea,” he said. “Do you want to have birthday cake for breakfast?” 

“I don’t know,” she told him. “Will Mummy get mad?” 

Heather watched as Daddy ran his hand down Mummy’s side. She looked knackered. 

“I reckon that she won’t mind,” he said. “Y’know, sense it’s me birthday and all. I think that she’d be happy we were celebrating.” 

Heather nodded. It made sense. “We shouldn’t wake her up. She’s sleepy.” 

“Right,” he agreed. “We can have our cake, and let Mummy rest. Your brother or sister must be growing.” 

* * *

  
  
  


Heather’s eyes had lit up at the mention of her brother or sister growing, and Paul offered her a smile. He knew that Heather adored her role as big sister. He had a feeling that the adoration was mutual. The little one inside of Linda was always willing to give Heather a kick. 

“If the baby’s growing, does the baby need rest, too?” Heather asked him. 

“I reckon that the baby does,” he said. “I don’t think that the baby would kick for you if it was too tired, sweetheart, but Mummy needs to sleep.” 

Paul didn’t bother to tell Heather that Linda was exhausted because they had been up until the early morning making love. It didn’t seem like an appropriate topic of conversation for a child. Far better for her to be distracted by cake for breakfast and the fact that it was his birthday. He didn’t normally celebrate his birthday. He was usually working. The fact that they’d been on holiday for it was a nice change. 

Corfu had been good for them. He was dreading going back. 

“We should save them cake,” she told him. “Mummy and the baby. I think that they’d like that.” 

“Of course, we’re going to save them cake,” he promised her. “You don’t have to worry about that, Hettie.” 

“Okay,” she said. She wrapped her arms around him. “We can have cake and let Mummy rest.” 

“You want me to carry you?” 

Heather nodded. “Please,” she said. “I love you, Daddy.” 

“I love you, too.” 

Paul got out of bed and held his arms out for Heather, pleased when she jumped into his arms. He hadn’t celebrated his birthday since he’d turned 21. John had gotten intoxicated and had almost murdered Bob Wooler. Even though he hadn’t been sober himself, nearly getting someone killed didn’t exactly inspire him to have attempted celebrating again. It had left a sour taste in his mouth. 

He didn’t mind that Heather and Linda wanted to celebrate with him. That was different. 

Heather was chattering excitedly in his ear. 

“What’s gotten you so excited?” He asked her. “Me birthday?” 

She nodded. “Uh huh, it’s the best day ever,” she said. “I love you, Da.” 

“I love you, too,” he whispered. He did. Paul loved Heather more than anything. “Did the baby really kick for you?” 

She nodded. “Yup. She likes me.” 

“You reckon it’s a girl?” Paul asked her. She nodded again. “What makes you think that?” 

“Mummy said that the baby makes her feel like I did,” Heather said after a moment. “I don’t like to ask her, but I wanted to know. So I figured maybe the baby’s a girl, too.” She shrugged her shoulders. 

“You can ask your mum questions, Het, I don’t mind.” 

She shook her head. “I do. You’re my dad. He wasn’t. I don’t want her to talk about things and have him be in the stories.” 

“I know that,” he said. “But, if you want to ask Mummy questions, I’m sure she’d answer them for you, and not mention Mel, if you don’t want her to.” 

Heather sighed. “Maybe,” she said. “It doesn’t upset you?” 

“No, duck, hearing about how Mummy’s pregnancy went with you, it doesn’t upset me,” he promised her. “We can ask her together, y’know?” 

“Okay,” she said. “We can ask her together.” 

Paul kissed her on the top of her head. “I like to hear about when you were little. When Mummy was pregnant with you. It makes me feel like I was there.” 

“I didn’t know that,” she whispered. “I thought it would make you sad.” 

“Does it make you sad?” Paul asked her. 

She nodded. “Mummy was the only one who wanted me. Until she met you.” 

“Yeah, but Mummy loves you,” he assured her. “You’re her daughter. You’re our daughter.” 

“Happy birthday, Daddy,” she said in response. “You’re the best daddy ever.” 


End file.
